Clare has been miserable since her exorcism. The preacher that rid her of evil didn’t understand that her demon—simply known as Her—was like a sister to Clare. Now, Clare will do almost anything to get Her back. After a chance encounter with the son of the preacher who exorcised her, Clare goes on an adventure through the dark underbelly of her small Southern town, discovering its deep-seated occult roots.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review through Netgalley. I was initially drawn to this book by the summary, which is somewhat odd for me. Usually the title, cover, rumors about the book or the author are what draw me into requesting a book to read and review from the publisher, but this book was different. I’d once dreamed of writing a book about a girl in love with a demon who possessed her, but I never had the right voice for it. So, when I read about this book that had done it, I knew I had to read it.
The world of The Good Demon looks much like any small towns. In fact, Clare’s description of her town in the opening chapters of the story sound so much like the small town I live in, that I was sure the author had been looking over my shoulder. But, in all honesty, the small town setting was believable and created a colorful texture for the otherwise supernatural events that occur throughout the story. I was very impressed.
The plot was, undoubtedly, my favorite part of the book. This book was the first book I’ve read in a long time that I legitimately could not put down. I started reading it one day and then when I picked it up the next day, I didn’t set it down until the book was completely finished, around 1am. It hooked me, it terrified me, it thrilled me. It almost made me wish it wouldn’t end, except I was scared out of my wits and absolutely exhausted. But, it was a beautifully written story with twists and turns I never saw coming.
Clare is a headstrong and rebellious narrator. She’s meant to be relatable to sad and lonely teens, but I found her often distant and cold. However, I don’t necessarily see that as a negative to the book. In a story where everyone should be second guessed and reevaluated, a taciturn and bluntly honest narrator is exactly what was needed. The foil character and Clare’s love interest, is just as extreme as Clare and equally unrelatable. If I had to pick a negative for this book, it would be that the characters are aggressively polarized. I would have loved to see more gray area in the characters.
The Good Demon, features a deceptively benign setting, an addictive plot and chilling characters. This book will hook you in and refuse to let go until you’ve reached the end. I wish the characters fell more into gray areas than they did by the end of the story, but was overall happy with the book by the time I finished the last page. If you love supernatural and witchcraft books, make sure you read The Good Demon.